Your focus is your business.

1 What BlockGain keeps, on your phone only

All of this lives in BlockGain's private storage on your device. It isn't uploaded, and it's deleted when you uninstall the app.

2 Accessibility (Android)

On Android, BlockGain uses the AccessibilityService API, only after you agree to an in-app explanation and switch it on yourself. BlockGain isn't an accessibility tool; blocking simply can't work without this service.

• 📲
  Which app is openTo block the apps you choose, and send you back when one opens during a block.
• 🔤
  Text on screen, in a few apps onlyIn YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and web browsers: to find Shorts and Reels (to count or block them), the address of the website you're on (to block the sites you list) and YouTube channel names (for study mode and blocked channels).
• 🪟
  Where app windows areTo turn off split screen and floating windows during focus.
• ⚙️
  Settings, during a blockSettings stays closed while a focus session or block runs, so a block can't be switched off or BlockGain uninstalled before it ends.

What it reads is used in the moment and thrown away. Only the Shorts counts above are kept. Nothing it reads is sent anywhere or shared with anyone.

3 Screen time

Android: with your permission (Usage access), BlockGain reads how long you used each app to show your screen time and stats. It's read on your phone and never uploaded.

iPhone: BlockGain uses Apple's Screen Time framework. Apple doesn't tell BlockGain which apps you use; blocking happens inside Apple's system and stays on your device.

4 Other permissions

5 When BlockGain uses the internet

BlockGain never sends anything to us. It goes online only for these, straight from your phone:

• Finding YouTube channels to add: your search words go to YouTube, and channel pictures load from Google.
• Study YouTube: your study channels' videos load from YouTube's website inside BlockGain, as in a browser.
• Website logos in "Add websites to block": the site's name (like reddit.com) is sent to Google's public icon service to fetch its logo.
• Ads: when you choose to watch one, see below.

Google's privacy policy applies to those requests: policies.google.com/privacy.

6 Ads

BlockGain is free. Some things are free with a short ad that you choose to watch: starting a session with Strict mode or YouTube study mode, and ending a session early. Ads never appear anywhere else, and never interrupt a session.

Ads are provided by Google AdMob. When an ad loads, Google's software in BlockGain may collect:

• Your device's advertising ID (on iPhone, only if you allow tracking when Apple asks)
• Your IP address and approximate location (country or city)
• Device and app information (model, system version, language) and how you interact with the ad

Google uses this to show ads, measure them and prevent fraud. In the EEA, the UK and Switzerland, and in US states with privacy laws, BlockGain asks for your choice first, and you can change it any time in Settings → Privacy choices. On iPhone you can also turn tracking off in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.

Nothing about your studying (your apps, schedules, focus history or Shorts counts) is ever given to Google or anyone else. How Google handles ad data: policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.

7 What BlockGain never does

• No accounts, sign-in or cloud sync
• No analytics, and no sending your study data anywhere
• No selling or sharing of your data

8 Children

BlockGain is meant for students aged 13 and over. It isn't directed at children under 13 and doesn't knowingly collect their information.

9 Deleting your data

All of it is on your phone. Clear BlockGain's storage in your phone's settings, or uninstall the app, and it's gone. There's nothing on our side to delete. To reset your advertising ID, use your phone's settings.

10 Changes

If this policy changes, the new version will be posted here with a new effective date.